TFV Network

Tonight, we're diving into the heart of a story that pulses with history, trauma and resilience, as director Alessandra Celesia joins us to discuss The Flats, a documentary that has been stirring up powerful conversations and greeted with great acclaim across the globe. The film revisits the raw, lingering pain of The Troubles, through the stories of the inhabitants of an estate in Belfast and, in particular, the tale of Joe, a Republican still scarred by the memory of his uncle's brutal murder at the hands of the Loyalists. In this episode, we'll also uncover Celesia's own journey. Italian-born and Belfast-based, she has crafted a unique voice, as showcased in The Flats, including via a powerful use of re-enactments and its emotional storytelling. We'll explore her connection to Belfast, the creative decisions behind The Flats and her thoughts on cinema as a cathartic force.

CHAPTERS

(00:00) Intro

(01:18) Alessandra Celesia's earliest memories of cinema

(04:19) Connecting with Belfast and the origins of 'The Flats'

(09:54) Using reenactments in documentary filmmaking

(13:25) The catharsis of filmmaking

(15:50) Establishing trust

(19:23) The universal resonance of 'The Flats'

(22:23) Outro

In this episode of the Showcast, Serbian director Miroslav Lekic talks about his latest film, Russian Consul, Serbia's official submission for the 2025 Oscars. Set in 1973, the film explores the turmoil between Serbs and Albanians in the autonomous province of Kosovo, through the story of an encounter between a Serbian doctor sent to a hospital in Kosovo after a tragic incident in Belgrade and a former history professor who believes to be a representative of Imperial Russia. Lekic will take us behind the scenes, delving into the film's dense historical context and how it traces the origins of tensions between Serbia and Albania, which still resonate today. But beneath this compelling narrative and its dense historical context, the movie is also an exploration of human dignity with a powerful anti-war statement. Russian consul also marks Lekic's second adaptation of a novel by Vuk Draskovic, and the director discusses what drew him to this original work, as well as share stories about his frequent collaborator and friend, the great actor Zarko Lausevic, who passed away in 2023 and whose final performance in Russian Consul is both haunting and unforgettable.

CHAPTERS

(00:00) Intro

(02:03) Miroslav Lekic's earliest memories of cinema and filmmaking

(07:20) Based on a Vuk Draskovic novel

(14:24) Connecting with audiences emotionally and intellectually

(16:36) Actor Zarko Lausevic's final film

(20:00) 'The Russian Consul": a political movie?

(23:49) Outro

In the latest episode of the Showcast, we delve into Yana-Wara, Peru's 2025 Oscar submission. The film is a stark and mysterious drama about a 13-year-old girl from a remote Indigenous Andean community and her 80-year-old grandfather, who finds himself accused of her murder. Beyond its shocking premise, "Yana-Wara" offers a profound exploration of the duality of good and evil spirits in Andean culture, and the intersection of tradition, gender violence and supernatural beliefs in an isolated Andean community. Joining us to discuss the film is Tito Catacora, its co-director, who stepped in to complete it after his nephew, Oscar, with whom he has previously crafted acclaimed, works, tragically passed away just one week into filming. Catacora shares insights into the film's bold artistic choices, including stark black-and-white cinematography, no musical score and a cast of non-professional actors, all of which lend the film a distinctly Andean soul. We also explore the powerful themes at the heart of "Yana-Wara and the cultural beat that drives it."

Welcome to TFV on Point, a new podcast series turning reviews from TFV's leading industry film critics into audio broadcasts. The show is hosted by Sarah Vianney.

In this episode of the series, we turn our attention to three more films screened in the program of the 2024 San Sebastián International Film Festival in Spain: "Bound in Heaven," directed by Huo Xin; "Conclave," directed by Edward Berger; "El Jockey," directed by Luis Ortega.

For the full reviews, visit https://thefilmverdict.com/

CHAPTERS

(00:00) Intro

(00:24) "Conclave"

(01:49) "El Jockey"

(02:57) "Bound in Heaven"

(03:55) Outro

Welcome to TFV on Point, a new podcast series turning reviews from TFV's leading industry film critics into audio broadcasts. The show is hosted by Sarah Vianney.

In this episode of the series, we turn our attention to three more films screened in the program of the 2024 San Sebastián International Film Festival in Spain: "Hard Truths," directed by Mike Leigh; "Modi, Three Days on the Wings of Madness," directed by Johnny Depp; "The Wailing," directed by Pedro Martín-Calero.

(00:00) Intro

(00:31) "Modi"

(01:42) "Hard Truths"

(02:34) "The Wailing"

(03:40) Outro

In this episode of the Showcast, we speak with one of the foremost Saudi filmmakers in modern cinema, Hamzah Jamjoom, whose films include Rupture (2021) and How I Got There (2022), and make him one of the most awarded film directors in the country. We take this opportunity to talk about the birth of his interest in film, as well as his work in both animation and live-action projects. Jamjoom also shares with his the importance of his Saudi heritage and how his works aim to speak to his own people, as well as reach an international audience. Aside from stories about his formative years and his career up to this point, Jamjoom also shares with us details about his future projects and ambitions, as well as his thoughts and experience of Saudi Arabia's burgeoning film industry and film culture.

CHAPTERS

(00:00) Intro

(01:11) Early love of animation

(06:24) A Saudi in the US

(10:44) The power of storytelling

(14:57) From animation to live action

(18:13) Saudi Arabia: an emerging film market

(21:02) "Running Dry"

(26:42) Outro

Welcome to TFV on Point, a new podcast series turning reviews from TFV's leading industry film critics into audio broadcasts. The show is hosted by Sarah Vianney.

In this episode of the series, we turn our attention to three more films screened in the program of the 2024 San Sebastián International Film Festival in Spain: "The Last Showgirl," directed by Gia Coppola; "Memoir of a Snail," directed by Adam Elliot; "Sujo," directed by Astrid Rondero and Fernanda Valadez.

For the full reviews, visit https://thefilmverdict.com/

CHAPTERS

(00:00) Intro

(00:25) "The Last Showgirl"

(01:38) "Memoir of a Snail"

(02:36) "Sujo"

(03:44) Outro

The latest episode of the Showcast is a conversation with Essam Zakarea, the esteemed Egyptian film critic and newly-appointed Artistic Director of the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), set to take place from the 13th to the 22nd of November, 2024. During our conversation, Zakarea taks us back to those moments when the magic of film first grabbed hold of him, and shares his thoughts on the characteristics that make cinema such a powerful and universal form of communication. Zakarea also shares CIFF's influence in shaping his cinephilia and his vision for where the festival's headed next, including a sneak peek at some of the events that'll make the upcoming edition truly special. Together, we also dive into the current state of Egyptian cinema, including its potential and talents, and consider what the future holds for both the film industry and film culture in the country and beyond.

CHAPTERS

(00:00) Introducing Essam Zakarea

(01:27) Early memories of cinema in Egypt

(05:57) The vision of the Cairo International Film Festival

(09:30) The power of cinema

(11:00) An early preview of the 2024 Cairo International Film Festival

(13:54) The state of today's Egyptian cinema

(18:39) Outro

Welcome to TFV on Point, a new podcast series turning reviews from TFV's leading industry film critics into audio broadcasts. The show is hosted by Sarah Vianney.

In this episode of the series, we turn our attention to three films screened in the program of the San Sebastián International Film Festival in Spain: "When Fall Is Coming," directed by Francois Ozon; "Emmanuelle," directed by Audrey Diwan; "The Red Virgin," directed by Paula Ortiz.

For the full reviews, visit https://thefilmverdict.com/

CHAPTERS

(00:00) Intro

(00:31) "When Fall Is Coming"

(01:34) "Emmanuelle"

(02:35) "The Red Virgin"

(03:30) Outro

The latest episode of the Showcase features a conversation with Sylvia Le Fanu, who presented her feature directorial debut, "My Eternal Summer," in the New Directors section of the 2024 San Sebastián International Film Festival in Spain.

The film chronicles a family of three on their summer holiday, seen through the eyes of a 15-year-old at a delicate age of self-discovery, while at the same time coping with the heartbreaking reality of her mother's terminal illness.

Le Fanu joins us on the podcast to share with us the deeply personal origins of this story, and the challenge of exploring identity and mortality honestly and intimately. She also takes us down memory lane, reflecting on her earliest memories of cinema and what led her to the director's chair.

CHAPTERS

(00:00) Introducing Sylvia Le Fanu and "My Eternal Summer"

(01:30) Understanding mortality with "Titanic"

(03:40) Becoming a filmmaker

(05:47) A personal story

(07:51) A teenage girl's perspective

(09:33) Naturalistic approach

(12:30) The importance of the editing process

(14:39) Outro